Yesterday's Kentucky Derby, won by 2-1 prohibitive favorite Nyquist, attracted a crowd of 167,227 to Churchill Downs, the "second-largest attendance in the race's history and the second-highest all-sources handle for the day." Wagering from all-sources on the Kentucky Derby Day program totaled $192.6M and was only 1% off the record set in '15, while "wagering from all-sources on the race" was $124.7M, down 10% from '15 (BLOODHORSE.com, 5/7).

The day "started out partly sunny with temperatures in the high 70s, but a fast-moving thundercloud hit the track approximately 90 minutes prior to the Derby." When the system "moved through, temperatures cooled markedly," but it ended up being "sunny for the Derby" (DRF.com, 5/7).

NBC earned a 9.4 overnight rating yesterday for the race segment of the Kentucky Derby, which saw favorite Nyquist pull away late. That number is down 13% from a 10.8 last year for American Pharoah's win in the 6:15-7:15pm ET window, which marked a 23-year high for NBC. The network now has posted a 9.0 overnight or better in 10 consecutive years for the first leg of the Triple Crown. Louisville led all local markets for yesterday's race, posting a 33.7 rating, followed by Cincinnati (16.6) and Ft. Myers (16.5) (THE DAILY). 

Canelo Alvarez last night "christened T-Mobile Arena" in Las Vegas as he retained his WBC middleweight title by defeating Amir Khan by knockout in the sixth round. There was an "announced crowd of 16,540" for the fight, which marked the first sporting event at the new facility. Alvarez sent Khan "off his feet and onto his back" with a "sensational knockout that will be remembered for as long as the building does business with boxing" (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 5/8). It was a "pro-Alvarez crowd" that filled the arena, as they came expecting to see him "put on a show" (AP, 5/7). 

Concerns over the Zika virus have "forced this month's Pirates-Marlins series out of Puerto Rico, with the two games moving to Miami." The MLBPA asked Commissioner Rob Manfred to "move the games after players expressed fears about getting and possibly transmitting the Zika virus" (AP, 5/6). A source said that both teams last week met "with officials for the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, after which players on the Marlins and Pirates voted unanimously to call off the trip" (MIAMI HERALD, 5/7). The decision "enraged officials" in San Juan, the home of late Baseball HOFer Roberto Clemente. His son, Luis, said, "We are very disillusioned over the decision" (TRIBLIVE.com, 5/6). 

The L.A. City Council on Friday "unanimously approved plans for a privately financed" $250M stadium in Exposition Park, clearing the way for MLS expansion club LAFC to "begin construction on the most expensive soccer-specific project" in league history. The 22,000-seat stadium will be the "centerpiece of a 15-acre complex that will include a conference center, restaurants and a soccer museum." It will be built "next to the Coliseum on the site of the 56-year-old Sports Arena." Construction, including the demolition of the Sports Arena, is scheduled to "begin this summer with the target of getting the stadium finished in time for LAFC’s first home game" in March '18 (L.A. TIMES, 5/7).

IndyCar has "narrowed its search" for a 16th race to replace Boston on its '16 schedule to two venues -- Watkins Glen Int'l and Gateway Motorsports Park in Madison, Ill. The selection "likely will be based on which is deemed better for inclusion" in '17. WGI President Michael Printup "initially balked at the suggestion IndyCar could race in upstate New York in four months ... but he apparently is warming to the idea." IndyCar "wants both" tracks for next season, though Watkins Glen is "more ready to host" an event. A decision is "expected next week" (AUTOWEEK.com, 5/6).

Yankees and Red Sox players tonight will "wear pink equipment" as part of a Mother’s Day campaign to "raise awareness for breast cancer detection and research" (BOSTON GLOBE, 5/8). Meanwhile, the Orioles today will celebrate Mother's Day with an "infinity scarf giveaway," and team members will wear "special baseball shoes that were created specifically by Under Armour." Orioles manager Buck Showalter: "I'm looking at these shoes they want me to wear and I said, 'I don't really need to wear a pair of pink, flowered shoes to show everybody I loved my mother and it's Mother's Day and I remember her.' Then they tell me it's for a great cause and they're going to auction them, so I'm going to wear them for one inning, but she'd be abhorred if she knew I was wearing these silly shoes for her" (Baltimore SUN, 5/8). 

Happy Mothers Day!!!! #LoveMyMadre pic.twitter.com/wGngAnw7YZ

— Kevin Gausman (@KevinGausman) May 8, 2016

A majority of voters yesterday favored a McKinney (Texas) Independent School District bond proposition that "includes a 12,000-seat stadium and events center." Residents voted to "decide whether to support" the district's $220M bond proposal, which includes a high school football stadium "roughly four miles north" of the Allen ISD's Eagle Stadium, which was built in '12 for $60M. The McKinney stadium and attached event center amounts to $50.3M of the overall bond package, and about $12.5M left over from a '00 "bond election is planned for stadium infrastructure" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 5/8). 

ESPN President John Skipper yesterday gave the commencement speech for UCF's College of Business Administration and also was "awarded an honorary doctorate." Skipper was recognized for his "work with the DeVos Sport Business Management program, which includes establishing an exclusive ESPN executives-in-residence initiative for the program." Skipper said, "It's about doing the right things, but it's also about creating the greatest success for your company by availing yourself to the smartest people, regardless of what they look like" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 5/8). 

Baseball HOFer Willie Mays for his 85th birthday was acknowledged at Friday's Rockies-Giants game after "receiving one of the ultimate" S.F. tributes, the "dedication of a cable car in his name" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 5/7).

Former Ducks and Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau yesterday agreed to terms to become coach of the Wild. Boudreau's four-year contract is "believed to be" just under $3M annually" (Minneapolis STAR-TRIBUNE, 5/8).

Boston College yesterday retired former baseball captain and Ice Bucket Challenge co-Founder Pete Frates' uniform number at its fifth annual ALS Awareness Game (AP, 5/6).

Leicester City yesterday "hammered Everton 3-1" in their first game at home since securing the EPL title on Monday, and the team's party "was in full swing at the King Power Stadium well before the trophy was presented" (ESPNFC.us, 5/7).

Baseball HOFer George Brett served as the grand marshal for yesterday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway. Brett before the race "took a few laps in the pace car with Matt Kenseth" (K.C. STAR, 5/8).

Today's N.Y. TIMES runs a full-page ad for staff writer Joe Drape's recently released book, "American Pharoah: The Untold Story of the Triple Crown Winner's Legendary Rise" (N.Y. TIMES, 5/8).

Univ. of Missouri softball players in a statement released before yesterday's senior-day game said that they were "playing in protest" of AD Mack Rhoades and MU's athletic administration. The statement "came in response to the athletic department's internal investigation of the softball program" (COLUMBIA DAILY TRIBUNE, 5/8).

"It’s not even worth commenting on. It’s ridiculous, so we’ll leave it at that, and move on and have a great day, guys" – 49ers GM Trent Baalke, on reports that there is tension between him and new coach Chip Kelly (S.F. CHRONICLE, 5/7).

"It makes me a little nervous. It’s the business we’re in. ... That’s why they pay us a lot of money. It’s part of the deal. Even winning doesn’t guarantee you employment, so you make the best of it and, when you are on a good run like we are here, you enjoy it because you know it doesn’t last long." – Warriors coach Steve Kerr, on the amount of firing and hiring of coaches in the NBA (S.F. CHRONICLE, 5/7).

"I would love to see a game in Africa" – Lions DE Ziggy Ansah, on the NFL playing games overseas after spending time in his native Ghana in the offseason (DETROIT NEWS, 5/6).

The PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER's Zach Berman traveled to Bismarck, N.D., home of Carson Wentz, where locals are "both proud and protective" of the Eagles' No. 2 pick. North Dakota is the "world in which Wentz existed." It is "not just because he played in North Dakota and not just because he's from North Dakota," but locals speak about Wentz "as if he is North Dakota." Easton Stick, Wentz' backup QB last season, said, "As you get to know Carson, and people get to know Carson, that's the best image of North Dakota you can get."

The N.Y. TIMES' Marc Tracy wrote the "attention-grabbing news this week" from a lawsuit between Penn State and its insurer was the disclosure that former football coach Joe Paterno may have been told in '76 that Jerry Sandusky "had molested a child." The bigger news for Penn State may "have been elsewhere in the opinion," where Judge Gary Glazer "rejected the university's argument that its insurer was obligated to cover all of" the nearly $100M in settlements the school has paid to 32 of Sandusky's accusers. Glazer concluded that instances of abuse after '99 "would be subject to trial."

Also:

• A Q&A with Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist's many connections.
• Mario Andretti only owns one of many cars he's raced in.

My new boss @CBSSports, Anthony Mormile, passed away today. All of us at CBS are devastated by this news.

— Jonah Keri (@jonahkeri) May 7, 2016

Canelo and Khan up next, we'll see how much time they spend trying to sell last minute PPVs before they get in ring #canelokhan

— Tim Dahlberg (@timdahlberg) May 8, 2016

Whoever called the Kentucky Derby the greatest two minutes in sports hasn't seen Bartolo Colon's home run trot.

— Ted Berg (@OGTedBerg) May 8, 2016

Good golf in Charlotte. So I heard. CBS up in Boston shut us off at 6. Brutal.

— Jim McCabe (@GolfweekMcCabe) May 7, 2016

Canelo and Khan up next, we'll see how much time they spend trying to sell last minute PPVs before they get in ring #canelokhan

— Tim Dahlberg (@timdahlberg) May 8, 2016

Work already starting on Quail Hollow renovation now that leaders are through No. 1@WellsFargoGolf pic.twitter.com/3IAuyF3ylu

— RonGreenJr (@RonGreenJr) May 8, 2016